Lightroom 4: PDF Save as function not working in Print Module

Save as PDF in the Print Module isn't working. I have tried it as many ways as I can think of and it worked only once out of 30 tries. Help!!!!

Hey All,

I am trying to create a PDF from the Print Module. I created a Contact Sheet Template which saved to Users Templates. It is a 5 x 5 image set with 50 images, so two pages. My boss asked if he could get a PDF of it. I said sure. I mean how hard could that be. It was always simple in Bridge. Lightroom 4 should handle it easy.
I went to the bottom left of the Print Module to Print Settings. The pop up window appeared and in the bottom left there is a drop down for PDF. I selected Save as PDF. The Save pop up window appears and I tell it to save to the desktop. I renamed the file and clicked save. Nothing. I was back to lightroom 4 and no PDF on the desktop. I tried it numerous times and only once did it finally work. I have no idea why. I though maybe there is a bug in the bottom left Print Settings button because when it did work I used File>Print Settings which brings me to all the same pop up windows. No matter what I did I couldn't get it to save a PDF.

Any help on this would be great. I'll need to be doing contact sheets like this for 100's if not thousands of images and it would really be convenient.

In Lightroom, go to the Print module. Don't press the Print button, but go to the bottom-most panel on the right side of the Print module. That's the Print Job panel, and it contains the resolution of the print you'll be making. Please let me know what the dpi is - please see screen shot:

Just moments before I saw your post I saw the Print Job panel. Duh on my part. Sorry.
I tried saving the PDF with the Draft Mode Printing checked and unchecked. Neither worked. The ppi was set at the default of 240 just as it is in your screen shot.

Do you suppose it has anything to do with Acrobat? I found this question posted awhile ago but it is a problem with Windows machines.

So here is a crazy thing.
> I can print a to a printer and get a physical copy.
>I can change the 'Print to: from Printer to JPEG file' and that works.
...but I still can't simply save a PDF.
>I tried downloading a free PDFwriter and installed it and that made the progress bar in the top left of LR4 active but there is no PDF file to be found.

You'll find a section called "Create a PDF contact sheet" toward the bottom of the post. As for the Contact Sheet II plug-in I think that has to be downloaded and installed separate. All this is for CS5. I haven't received CS6 yet but I think it will be the same.

For whatever reason I am now able to create PDFs from Lightroom 4. I'll do my best to tell you what has changed but it may be just a set of coincidences.

I was getting frustrated with PS and Bridge Output. They just couldn't give me the result I wanted. So I went back to LR4 to try again. Roll the dice as it were.
I rolled and to my amazement the progress bar in the top left took off. Of course I had the 'Print To' set to JPEG File. Well that worked and I tried to put them into Photoshop and do a Save As PDF. THat worked but then I would have 3 files instead of one PDF with 3 pages. No good. I went back to LR4 and switched from JPEG File back to Printer. Then clicked the bottom right 'Print' button. In the print dialog clicked PDF in the bottom left for the drop down menu and selected 'Save As PDF.' The Save dialog came up and I inputted all the pertinent info. Clicked Save and the progress bar took off! I was floored. I found the file opened it in Adobe Reader and in Preview and it worked in both.

So here is what I think may have changed things (but I'll never know for sure.) I received a free upgrade to PS 6. That is really all that has changed on my system. PS and LR as far as I know are stand alone programs that can work together but don't necessarily need each other. I'm just guessing.

So I have created PDF files in the Print Module in numerous fashions with multiple files, resolutions, grids, line stroke, draft mode off/on, etc., etc.

If you have any questions I'll do my best or it you want screen shots just let me know.

After reading your post, I went back into LR4 and tried it the typically way...just in case. FAIL.

So, I tried what you did but quickly realized that I don't the JPEG File option. I decided to just print them to a print. The progress bar did its thing and 30 seconds later, I had physical contact sheets in my hand. Now, the real test. I went ahead and selected Save as PDF. O...M...G. No crash!! The progress bar moved along and I had my PDF on my desktop!!

I'm having the same Problem LR 4 is sooooooo slow at outputting PDF contact sheets. I'm only saving them too, not even printing them.

I'm trying to save a standard 4 x 5 format contact sheet, which has 9 pages in total, and its taking over 20 minutes per PDF document. I only have 2 of them to do!

I also use Capture one Pro and Hasselblads 'Phocus' software for my medium format capture; both of these output PDF contact sheets of this size in around 10 seconds - Completed and finished!

Can anyone give any help or direction as to why LR 4 is soooooooo damn slow at this.......my client who was waiting for them to be sent to her has already gone home, not prepared to wait any longer!! lol.

Stephen's workaround would be useful when you are trying to export a print-ready file for a service bureau (for example, when you need a larger print than your in-house printer will produce). I use an Epson 3880 and have need for prints in the 20x30 inch range. If there isn't another idea I'll try this.